Locked up alone
by NCG.Witteman
Summary: A girl wakes up alone and doesn't remember anything. She learns, the hard way, that this is no game. She has to fight to stay alive, and not only for herself... - In times of trouble, keeping each other grounded is what matters - N.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 waking up

I woke up to a flash of pain through my right pols. I had tried to turn on my side but something stopped my arm from coming with.

I opened my eyes to a creak only to close them again fast. A bright white light was shining directly at my face, and it was too much for me to wake up to something like that.

Still, the light had activated my senses and I realised something cold was pressing against the pols I tried to move earlier. I now also realised my arm wasn't lying beside me but was hanging in the air. I flash of terror went through me and I shook my arm, only to be confirmed of my fear.

I shook my other arm and then my legs. But all were being held tight in place by cold creaking handcuffs. I quickly opened my eyes and squinted.

A silhouette came in view.

It was obviously a man, with a big belly, broad shoulders and hair that reached his shoulders

"What's happening?"

I tried to ask, but only a soft cracked voice came out of my mouth. I swallowed and tried again:

"What's happened?"

My senses were now full on and I realised it was cold.

I looked down and saw that I was laying on a clean decent bed with blue coloured covers. I wearing a simple white dress with colourful tiny flowers decorating it, it reached to about my knees and I was wearing no bra.

I recognized the dress, but if I had ever worn it before or seen it anywhere else, I couldn't tell.

To be honest I couldn't remember anything.

"Answer me!"

"Shhhh, its fine."

The silhouette said

"No it's not! Get these things of me!"

I yelled while rattling my cuffs.

"Shhhss, don't move, I'll help you."

The silhouette said as he came closer.

He laid his warm sweaty hand on my leg and started moving upwards. I tried to move away, but my cuffs wouldn't make me. His other hand slipped between my thighs.

I could smell him now, a sour disgusting smell that reminded my somehow of socks and overdue meat. His hands and the smell made a quiver go over my back and I started panicking even more.

"Lay off! LAY OFF!"

I screamed while I kept trying to break free.

He didn't respond, and even though I couldn't see him good, I thought I saw a smile.

That made me angry, how could this man to this to me. Somehow I knew I wasn't just somebody. I was a powerful woman with senses wide awake, a brilliant mind and a strong body.

He reached my panties now and slowly started to remove them.

I waited for the right time, I knew he would come closer, this pervert couldn't stop himself from enjoying every moment of this, of abusing a bound young woman.

I waited, and then shot my knee straight up, right against his nose. He stumbled forward and I trusted my elbow at him. He fell backward while gripping his left eye.

"You fucking BITCH! I ain't gonna play nice now!"

He got up and grabbed my throat. His other hand ripped my panties off and grasped me in between my legs.

I trashed wildly, but he didn't let go, he had learned his lesson.

He tried to kiss me when I heard loud sounds in another room. Then the door burst open and another man walked in. He was slender build with a slightly tanned skin. His hairs was black and standing right up, as if he just woke up.

"Get of her Grank!"

He pulled the silhouette, apparently called Grank, of me and threw him to the ground.

"Get out! Now!"

Grank grumbled and walked out through the open door.

The man who saved me from a terrifying experience closed the door and locked it.

He looked at me with a pained face.

"I'm really really sorry, I was supposed to guard you, but I fell asleep and-"

"Cut me loose."

"I uhh.. I can't, I'm not allowed to"

"Cut me loose, please!"

"I... I'm sorry, I can't"

He walked towards me and I made myself ready for another assault.

He saw me tensing and quickly said,

"No, no, wait I'm helping."

He readjusted my dress so you couldn't see my nakedness anymore.

"Can you get me out?"

I asked while he turned off the bright light.

I now could see the room clearly. It was a big room, with no windows or doors, except for the door the man came through. A big film light was pointed at me and an old living room lamp was hanging from the ceiling.

"No, I'm supposed to guard you, keep you safe and...Locked up."

There was a silence and he turned towards me.

"Go away!" I yelled in anger.

He quickly exited the door and locked it from the other side.

I couldn't remember who I was, or what had happened. What I did know was that I was powerful. And that I was locked up.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 I taste a new flavour soup

I don't know how I felt asleep, but after what seemed like hours I had to close my eyes, just for a minute.

After everything that happened (apparently yesterday) I was as tensed as could be. Every time I heard something in I think what was the hallway (I mean it think it is a hallway), I would try to sit up, sweat drops would form on my forehead and my heart would beat faster.

But every time the sound died down and nobody would enter.

I thought I couldn't fall asleep, I thought I was too stressed, too (fine I'll say it) scared. I couldn't let my guard down. What if somebody would do something to me, and grabbed me again like that Grank did? Then what?!

But I knew I couldn't stay awake for ever, at some point I had to rest. I had to build up energy for if another assault did happen.

So I fell asleep and now I'm awake again, and to be honest that doesn't make the situation any better. My wrist hurt (I probably tried to turn again in my sleep) and my back, arms and legs are soar. I'm longing to a breath of fresh air (the whole room somehow just smells like Grank). My hair is a mess and my dress tried to travel up again. Plus, my nose is itchy.

And thereby I just keep thinking about how I got here. It's like I'm missing one piece of a puzzle and once I get that final part I'll remember everything. But every time I try to think back about it. I get a headache and my mind just skips to another thought. Just try to let two negative magnets touch. Ain't that easy is it?

So I'm trying to figure out what I'm missing when suddenly the door opens.

My body, again, gets in full-action mode.

But it's not Grank it that other guy, what's his name? Right... I never asked.

"Here you must be hungry."

He said while carrying a tray with some food and a glass water inside.

I just looked at him, not really knowing what to do. My instincts said: 'kick his butt!' While something else in my body told those instincts to shut up.

"Here.. Umm your dress.. It.. Uhh sorry"

He came closer and, again, fixed my dress.

"Sorry about that, I'll, uhhh, I'll try to get you some pants and a shirt, that would be more comfortable. I mean, this,"

He made gesture to indicate the handcuffs,

"those are not comfortable, I know that, I mean, I, uhh we'll try to make this experience as pleasant as possible. I mean, no wait, uhh skip that I mean, look… I.. uhh _we_ know this is hard for you, and very, very unpleasant, but that doesn't mean… that's not.. So umm... yeah"

And with that he quickly left again.

I was kind of shocked, I mean he talks real fast. But that was not the weirdest part. I think what shocked me most was actually that that I didn't do anything. He just stood there and I let him go?!

I could have gotten his keys by now (I don't know how I know that), I probably would already be outside right now, enjoying the fresh air.

But something stopped me. I don't know exactly what is was, but I think it was pity, I think I feel somehow sorry for this guy. Having to lock up a girl and protect her. That is not something what would be in my top 10 summer jobs.

And I know he is nervous because that seaweed brain forgot that I can't eat or drink with tied-up hands!

Luckily that thought did pop up to him in a couple of seconds, and he burst into the room again.

"Yes, right food, don't worry I've got it"

And that is how our first, of many more, dinners together started.

Because I was handcuffed and he wasn't aloud (yet) to unlock them me yet he had to feed me.

And as I told you before he was very, very nervous. Every time his hand went from the soup bowl (I didn't know what flavour, it was hard to make out), I was afraid he would spill the hot soup on me, his hands were shaking so much. But somehow he was able to keep everything on the spoon and I didn't end up with burns.

I didn't talk much, mainly because I was constantly fed with an unsteady hand, but that didn't mean there was no 'conversation'. Somehow this guy just kept on talking, I didn't know how it was possible. I mean, it didn't irritate me or something, I just found it very funny.

He told me about the little things, about how he, for example, used to get chicken soup when he was sick, just like this soup, only then much and much better. (Aha, so this was chicken soup, good to know).

And how he used to look for fish in the sea and tried to catch them, and that he thought he could talk to them and could hear them. (Don't ask me how he came to this subject)

And lots of other stuff like that.

Another weird thing I found out is that I liked him talking. It calmed me down, and it made me stop thinking about the situation I was in.

Being fed by him also meant him being really, I mean really, close. I could see his face better now and I spotted his see green eyes. They looked sad, even though his lips where smiling, his very, very nice lips.

You see how there is something wrong with me?! There must have been something in the soup.

After the (apparently) chicken soup he gave me a sap of water, now you would thing that after all those almost 'death-experiences' with the soup, the water would go just as fine. But I think he got distracted somehow because he spilled it all over my chest.

"Shit! I'm sorry, wait I'll get it." He said.

"Yeah, that would be nice, cause you know, I can't reach it" I responded a tat irritated, while flapping my hands.

"Wait here, I'll get a tissue."

"Where am I supposed to go?!" But he'd already dashed out of the room.

This break gave me some time to think. He was being really nice, I mean, compared to the situation we, or I, was in. But then again, _he_ guarded me, what meant _he_ kept me locked up, what meant _he_ was in control, and _that_ I didn't like.

Maybe he was just acting nice, maybe what happened yesterday was just a trick, just something so I could trust him. Maybe he wanted information from me, not that I had that, I can't even remember my name.

But then again, what he talked about didn't sound fake, and _how_ he talked didn't sound fake. He sounded like he wanted to comfort me, like he knew how it felt to be controlled, to be locked up alone.

Well he didn't. So I made a decision, a decision that came from my survival instincts: _he_ would be my way out of here.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 that's awesome

So, after what seemed like two seconds (and maybe even were) he came back, with literally thousands of little tissue papers.

"I found some tissues" he said.

"Yeah, see that, what did you do, rob a toilet?"

He had to smile.

"I hope it doesn't leave a stain on your dress." he said while dapping my upper chest.

"Well, we've got to be quick cause water can be terrible to get out of your clothes"

He smiled again, and it made my hart do a little jump… what the hell?

When he got near my breasts, yes I mean water was _everywhere_ , he hesitated. And we could both feel the awkwardness growing.

"umm, I'm sorry.. just-"

He quickly tried to dry the area around my breast. But he was very nervous, he wasn't really, how would you call it, 'tender'?

Still my dress wasn't dry, surprise! So he exited again and came back with a new black t-shirt what said 'THAT'S AWESOME' and a pair of grey running pants that would reach to about my knees.

"I know you're not allowed to untie me, but physics isn't going to let me put that shirt and pants on with my hands and feet tight." I said.

"Yeah, I think I have to get those handcuffs off, if you don't mind, I mean."

I saw a smile in his green eyes, like he was actually happy to cut me loose.

"I'll try to keep my cool." I responded smiling.

For the third time he left the room but this time came back with a small key hanging form a silver whistle. For, I guess, if someone was to escape, the guard could let anyone in the perimeter know.

First he unlocked my hands and he helped me sit up.

"Ahhh.. That feels nice" I said while massaging my wrists.

They were red and in some places the skin had broken.

He looked at them with a concerned face.

"We have to get that checked and cleaned, you could get an infection."

I didn't really understand why he was so concerned. I was a prisoner, wasn't I? So why worry about me?

After that, we set my feet free and I got to say, I was never so happy to be able to stand. I was a bit wobbly but with some help I could make a few steps. Then I sat myself back on the bed, really starting to hate that thing.

Now with my hands and feet free I was able to change clothes.

He turned around and I lifted the dress, making sure he wasn't peaking before completely pulling it over my head.

It was a really nice dress now I had a closer look. The fabric, colours and little flowers made my head work on full powers: why do I recognise this dress? Have I seen it before? Have I worn it before? But my brain wouldn't answer. With a sigh I tossed the dress in a corner.

I put on the 'THAT'S AWESOME' t-shirt (very appropriate for the situation, I know) and a new pair of panties that I found in a pocket of the running pants. I finished my new look with the grey running pants.

As I was putting them on, I thought of ways to escape.

If I was quick I could knock him to the ground and run for the exit.

Problem was, I didn't know where the exit was. I could run around for hours, not knowing where to go, asking the way wasn't really an option here.

And thereby, he had a whistle, he could blow it if I'd try to escape, and guards would be surrounding me within seconds.

Maybe if I stole his whistle? That could give me a head start. Finding the exit would come later.

I looked where he'd been standing, maybe if I could just surprise him...

But he wasn't there anymore.

I looked around and found him standing in the corner looking confused at my dress.

Apparently he'd seen it flying across, walked towards it and picked it up while I was changing my clothes and building a master plan. I stood up.

"This is yours?" He asked

"Yes it is, why?"

"I don't know, I only now just recognise it. I've never really noticed it when you were wearing it, I was paying attention to something..."

He then realised what he was saying and stopped talking. His cheeks became red.

"Have you seen it before? Even though I wear it I can't remember it, but I have this feeling it

is important."

"I'm not sure, I think-"

Suddenly Grank burst into the room, completely ruining my chance to get some information.

"Percy, the boss wants to see-…. Why is she unlocked?!"

"Why does the boss wants to see me?" Percy asked, not responding to his last question.

Percy, Percy… why does that name sound familiar?

"Your name is Percy?" I asked.

"None of your business girly so shut your face" Grank responded.

"Grank, you don't talk to her that way. Now answer my question, why does the boss wants to

see me?"

"I don't know, but he said it was important. So I think you should get that head of yours out

of your ass and pay him a visit."

"Grank, go do the dishes or something, I've heard that's the only thing you can do."

With a grunt Grank left the room.

There was a moment of silence and then Percy walked towards me with a disturbed face. He gave me my dress back and I started to crease with it.

I was worried and _that_ surprised me.

"You think there is something wrong? What will happen?" I asked.

"I don't know, but being called to the boss never means something good."

I started panicking.

"Percy, what is going to happen to me?" My voice broke and I couldn't hold it in anymore. I was locked up alone, didn't remember what happened and don't know what is going to happen.

I sat down on the bed and just now realised how tired I was.

"Percy, what are you going to do to me?!"

Again there was a silence, then Percy sat down on his knees before me.

"Annabeth, I don't know, I'm sorry"

"Annabeth, what? Is my name Annabeth?"

"What? I don't, I don't know… did I say that?"

"You know my name! How?" I asked

"I.. I don't know…" His eyes turned towards the floor. He looked really confused, as if he also didn't know what was going on.

I took his face with both hands and made him look me in the eye.

"Percy. What do you know? What do you know about me?"

Being so close made me able to smell him. He had a scent of the sea around him, as if he just been swimming in it. This also made my brain working, why does this scent give me so many emotions?

"Annabeth.. I think… I know that-"

Suddenly he grabbed his head and backed away quickly.

"Aaaahhh! Stop it!" He screamed.

"What's happening?! Percy! What's going on?!"

After some seconds his face went blank and he walked towards me. I stood up and grabbed his shoulders.

"Percy, what was that? Are you okay?"

He looked at my hands and took them of his shoulders. He then led them towards the handcuffs again.

"No, stop it, let me go! I don't want to be tied to the bed again. Percy! Listen to me!"

I wringed my hands free and touched his face again, he looked at me and I saw something that shocked me. His eyes that were green not a moment ago were now cold blue. I froze, they looked so empty. He continued putting the handcuffs on.

I sat down, defeated, there was no use in trying to persuade him, there was no use in trying to _fight_ him. There was nothing I could do. Percy wasn't there anymore.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Drastic times call for drastic measures

The next couple of days Percy didn't show.

I still don't know what happened. He didn't respond to what I was saying when he tied me up. I tried to keep calm, for his sake, I know it wasn't his fault. But when he locked me to that bed again…. panic build up inside me: I didn't know for how long I was going to be locked to that bed this time.

So I screamed.

I screamed for hours, long after Percy was gone. I screamed till my throat couldn't take it. I screamed with anger, I screamed with fear. I screamed with everything I had till there was nothing left.

Then the tears came. And it was a different kind of crying. I wasn't sobbing, or hacking with breath, there was no lump in my throat. Just tears and tears rolling down my cheek.I was empty, I felt nothing. I didn´t feel my wrist or my feet throbbing with pain from the trashing.I didn´t feel the humiliation of being locked up, I felt no fear, no anger, no all had disappeared, a way of finding out who I was, a way of getting out of here, it all had disappeared with Percy.

I was done.

You could say, I´d hit a bottom.

I'd stay like this for a couple of days.

Instead of Percy, Grank and another girl brought my food.I didn't ask who she was and she didn't talk to me either. We kind of, well _she_ kind of just walked passed me, she would drop the food and walk out again. Then Grank would help me eat… well he tried.I wasn't hungry, I wasn't thirsty, I didn't _want_ to eat. I just wanted to sleep.

The pain in my chest, the emptiness, started to fade with the days, and new found courage and determination took its place.

I had to find Percy or something, to find out who I was and to get out.

I found out, through Grank that they were going to move me. It turned out that I wasn't dealing with some perverted organisation that kidnapped young woman to have sex with. They just kidnapped young woman, well thank the Gods.

The room I was in wasn't supposed to be a place where they locked people up. It was supposed to become something else, like a main office or something, where they would discuss things. If I had to make a room my main office I would at least have some windows in them, even if it was a secret layer or something.

Anyway, they didn't have enough space for me, so they just put me in the next best thing, what was a bed in their to-be-secret-layer.

I would be moved in two days, so I had plenty of time to make a plan. I mean, it's not that I had anything else to do.

Don't think Grank told me this or something, I heard him and some other guy discuss this in the hallway. When he walked in I pretended to be a sleep. He didn't need convincing, I was sleeping all the time.

By the way, Grank didn't make a move on me after what happened before, with Percy interfering and everything. Grank was like 30, and Percy looked like my age, what was… what again? 17 or something? Anyway, even though the age difference, Grank still listed to him.

But I was being moved, and once I put myself together again, my brain was on full speed working on an escape.

But I bumped into a problem: food. I tried to keep an act up: that I was sad and hopeless. To make sure my sudden escape during the moving would surprise them long enough.

The best way to do that was by not eating and sleeping a lot. That last part was not hard. But the food... escaping needed energy, and of that, even though my 18-hours-of-sleep-days, I was getting short.

I needed to eat and drink.

So I tried for a different approach.

That girl, of whom I didn't know the name still brought my food and Grank still tried to feed me. But this time I let him.

"I'm not in the mood for your moping. Eat, or don't. But tell me now, so I don't have to sit here for an hour watching you look aimlessly at the wall"

I waited,

He let out a sigh.

"Again with the not talking!?" He said while dropping the food on the bed.

"You listen to me now bitch, I don't have time for you whining and-"

"Why would you care if I eat or not? It's not like I'm doing anything for you"

He wasn't expecting me to talk, so it took him a moment to recover his wits (if he had those).

"Look girly, I couldn't give a ratsass if you eat or not, but those fellas who called your boy up, do."

This was what I was hoping for. My plan would only work if I was considered useful enough. Useful enough to keep alive.

"I'm not feeling well."

I said.

"Then eat for Gods sake!"

Grank scooped up some soup with a spoon. I guessed that soup would taste as good as the chicken soup.

He came closer, and I was doing everything I could not to attack him.

I had my first taste of yet another unknown soup flavour, but I swallowed it, with difficulty.

I ate another spoonful of soup, and another one, and another one.

After every spoon I tried to look more sick, sad and disgusted. Not that that was hard.

After the eight spoon or something I said:

"I'm really not feeling well"

"SHUT UP!" Grank yelled, probably feeling very satisfied with himself for getting me to eat.

So I did and took another swallow.

After another couple of disgusting soup spoons I made a gaging motion. And also that didn't take a lot of acting.

As planned (more hoped so) Grank dropped the bowl with the remaining soup in surprise on the floor.

With lots of swearing Grank got up and turned around.

He was exactly in the line of sight of the camera hanging in the room, and with Grank turned nobody would see me sticking my fingers down my throat.

The soup tasted worse coming out.

I felt disgusting, the soup was everywhere, I was shacking and feeling even worse than before.

Grank turned around again and almost puked himself.

"DAMMIT! You had to puke on my watch! Nina, get in here!"

The door opened at the girl that had brought my food the last couple of days came in. She had dark brown hair that was cut real short and light green eyes. She was slender build and was wearing grey pants with a grey shirt. Once she got closer I saw she had lots of earrings, starting from her earlobe to her helix.

"What do you want Grank?" she asked, not sounding very intimidated by his yelling.

"Don't you talk to me like that, now clean this godsdam mess up, now!"

"Gods, no, that's disgusting."

"Do it, or you'll have something else to clean up."

And with that Grank walked out of the door. I heard him starting a conversation with a man standing outside. For a moment, I thought it was Percy. But I didn't recognise his voice, so I sat back again, feeling somehow even worse than before.

"What the hades did you do?" Nina asked.

"I wasn't feeling well, and the soup wasn't making it any better"

"Yeah, I know, don't even get me started on their meatloaf. Now don't move, or your soup will get in places you really don't want it."

While Nina cleaned the puke of me, I could hear the men discussing in the hallway:

"…..But we are not sure yet. It could kill her if she is not one of us." I heard the other man saying.

"Ow believe me, that bitch is. And if she won't eat, or if she keeps throwing up her food every time we force it down her throat she is gonna die anyway." Grank said.

"Maybe we shouldn't force it then."

"WELL GO SIT THERE FOR HOURS TALKING ABOUT DAISY'S! See if she likes your hand better, or bite it off in the process. I'm left with a scar because of that bitch!"

A couple of days ago Grank tried feed me with force, I had bite his right hand in response. He needed stiches and can still not fully use that hand.

"No, no, that's okay, let... let's go with your plan then. But if she dies, it's your fault."

"Yeah, yeah whinny. Just get the stuff and get out of my face."

After everything was cleaned up, I got a new pair of black pants and a white t-shirt. Apparently they liked jokes because this one read: 'Hakuna Matata'.

Sometime later Grank came in with a needle, a bag with liquid and an irrigation pole, which is kind of like an iron walking coat rack.

I was feeling even worse than before the whole food disaster, but my plan worked: I was given an IV that supplied my food now. This had, besides supporting my plan, another plus: no more Grank within a few inches of my face.

Anyway, I was gaining new energy while maintaining the act of a poor, sick, defenceless girl.

This was a good start.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 The light at the end of the tunnel

I think I've had an IV somewhere in the past. I'm not sure, because, you know, memory is not working. But the feeling of it, I don't know, it just feels familiar.

This stuff, this slowly remembering, is really starting to give me a headache.

My minds just shuts down if I try to bring up the past. As if something or someone is trying it's best to keep me in the dark.

I hate it.

The IV really gave me a boost, like, even more so than I expected. After only half an hour on that thing I felt like I could kick a good pair of butts. And after a couple of hours I felt like I could walk out of this place without breaking a sweat.

And for some reason I kept having this really nice taste in my mouth. My favourite food, but I only now remember: apples.

Dammit! Headache, see _this_ is what I mean!

.. Fricking annoying _that's_ what it is.

When will I be moved? I mean Grank said two days, but I don't have a clue if that means today, tomorrow or still just two days...

I looked around me, saw my right foot twitching and made it stop.

This apple taste is really delicious. It's nice to have a different flavour in your mouth.

Gods! How long left?!

I feel like I could bring down a whole army! When are they gonna move me?! This is taking forever!

Let's count the plates on the ceiling again then, shall we?

As I was at 269 I heard voices in the hallway:

"Man... I, I don't know, she kind of freaks me out" a voice I've heard before said.

"Gods! Why, why!? Am I always stuck with you idiots?!"

Ah, the familiar irritating voice of Grank.

"I'll do it then! Fricking imbeciles"

Grank came into the room holding a syringe.

When I heard then talking, I figured they may be talking about cutting the IV, thinking I was fit enough now.

I was right... In some way.

The moment I saw the syringe my mind focused and my nerves got on edge.

"What's that?!" I asked

"Not your business, so shut it"

Grank said while inserting the syringe into my bag with liquid.

"Yes it is! Cause it's going into my bloodstream!"

I started sweating.

"It's not gonna kill you if you're wondering. Well it could, but unfortunately the decision was not mine to make."

"What is it?!" I asked a little louder.

Grank sighed.

"It's gonna make you sleep, so sit down and relax."

"Why do I need some medicine to make me sleep? I sleep all fricking day"

He smiled

"We're gonna move you, but we can't have you running off now can we? So a little sleep and dizziness is good for you"

No

"I mean, you don't think we were that stupid to let you just walk next to us? After we practically explained our whole plan in front of this room."

No

"Don't worry too much about it girly, this was kind of part of the plan. I mean, this was a test. Most people would fail it. If _you_ did, we would have let you go. We don't deal in mortals, way to weak. Can't even handle a baby dragon. But you, ohh you"

He pointed at me.

"You passed with flying colours"

Everything became fuzzy.

"Get it out!" I screamed.

My toes and fingertips started tingling.

"Please!" Tears welled up in my eyes.

What was this?! I became useless! I couldn't control my body. I couldn't control my own mind.

Grank just looked down at me, he had a different look on his face, like he remembered something.

I tried to say more, but my voice didn't respond. I looked up at the bag with liquid, it had a greenish colour and I could feel it going into my body. I felt dirty, I felt betrayed, I felt like my body had been invaded.

With a last effort, I shook my wrist and my legs, trying to expel the poison. Which, of course, didn't work. Movement was only going to speed up the process. But my heart was already beating on full speed.

My eyelids became heavy and I couldn't move my arms and legs anymore. I felt so helpless.

I tried to keep my eyes open, but the edges of my vision became black.

The last thing I saw was Grank looking down at me, with his same old disgusting smile back on his lips.

My body went limp and my brain black. Only flashes of light, what I later realised must have been the lights on the ceiling, was what I saw. I remember feeling a cold sensation dripping down my trousers, my whole body was paralysed so of course I couldn't control my bladder.

I started to hallucinate, or... or dream. At least that's what I think, it was so detailed... So real.

I was standing in a field with plants all around me. A wave of strawberry scent washed over me. I looked closer and saw that I was standing in a field with strawberries. I picked one and ate it.

I just started walking, towards nothing in particular. I felt relaxed, I was without a care in the world. Every once in a while I ate another strawberry.

I walked for what seemed like hours. My mind on pause, what I did willingly, for once in my life.

Houses came into few. As I walked towards them they became bigger I realised they were cabins. In all kinds of shape and colours.

A sudden draught settled over me. The wind caught on and clouds covered the sun.

All the strawberries in the field turned brown and dropped to the ground.

My stomach made a nasty kind of summersault and I puked up a black liquid.

I looked up and saw smoke coming from the cabins. I felt a sudden need to rush towards it. There was something wrong there.

I run but the smoke became worse with each step. Tears welled up and streamed down my face. Panic and pure desperation filled me: This was a place I knew. And something was very wrong.

"You can't change this Annabeth Chase. You're the last and final one."

A voice whispered in her head.

"SHUT UP!" More tears came.

"GO AWAY!" My voice broke and I started running faster.

There was something there, at the camp, around the cabins. I had to get there.

When I got there I saw children older, younger and from my age. They were sinking. Sinking deeper and deeper into the ground, slowly disappearing, like the earth was swallowing them.

I sprinted towards them. The desperation that took hold of me seconds ago disappeared: I had to save these children. I had to get them free from what was holding them.

Then I saw Percy.

As everyone else were surrendering themselves to the earth, he was fighting it. Thrashing wildly with his arms as he was sinking deeper and deeper into the ground.

"ANNABETH! GET OUT OF HERE!" he screamed to me.

"NOW!"

I snapped out of the dream and somehow got control over the poison.

My body came to life and I twisted out of the arms that where holding me. The two guards who were dragging my over the floor dropped me in surprise. I saw one other guard and Grank standing behind me.

"What the!? That's not possible!" I heard Grank scream.

The sentence: 'Have to get out, have to save.' was looping in my head.

I kicked the guards as they tried to grab me. Somehow I kept them at bay. My hands automatically sought for a weapon. I found a nail to my right in the wall. I pulled it out it and made an arc around me with it, slicing 3 guards that were within a meter of me.

I got up and ran away.

"Get her! Get her, you jackasses!"

'Have to get out, have to save.'

My body may have been awake but my eye sight was still blurry and my ears were ringing.

I crashes into walls, doors and other objects that were in my way.

Somehow I kept ahead of the guards, but they were gaining quickly. I ran faster, still not able to see where I was going.

'Have to get out, have to save.'

More guards -who were only a black blur for me- boomed up in front of me at a cross-point.

"She got out! Get here!" The voice sounded like I was in a bubble: hallow.

I dashed to the right away form the guards and towards light.

I scent of rotten leaves hit me. I started running faster.

I was almost there, I was almost at the exit. I could smell it.

My legs started to hurt, my fingers started to tingle and my heart started to beat even faster.

But I was almost there. Almost out.

'Have to get out, have to save.'

"We can't let her escape!" The guards screamed from behind me, sounding very close.

But it didn't matter, I was almost there, they couldn't stop me, I was going to get out.

"no" a voice whispered in my head.

Something hit me on my lower back and a shock went through my body. The last thing I saw was the lighted word 'exit' above a door.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 bells are ringing

I woke up several times, not knowing where I was, hearing voices, seeing flashes of my surroundings – sunlight and shadows – and then falling asleep again.

My dreams weren't any better either. I kept seeing this strange camp over and over again. And every time children all around me were drowning. Drowning in the earth. Just like before, the only change was that this time the children were fighting it.

It was horrible to watch; some were screaming, asking for forgiveness, praying, calling for help, clawing at the ground, crying, hugging each other or saying goodbye, knowing they would die.

I was one of them, but only I was able to run. In every dream I was running, every time running. Trying to beat the ground. Which was never possible.

In every dream I grew more tired, in every dream I wanted more to give up. I wanted to stop, to give up, to surrender to the earth. But then, just before I stopped, before I gave up living.

A voice told me to keep going. He told me to keep running, to keep trying to beat the earth, to save myself.

And then I would. The voice was always Percy's.

But there was another voice too. Whispering in my ear, making me sick, making me tired, trying to let me give up.

She kept telling me: 'You're the last and final one Annabeth Chase.'

Then I would wake up, or something like that, and fall asleep again to repeat the process.

I don't know how many times this happened. But at one point I suddenly woke up in the middle of the dream and opened my eyes.

I didn't know where I was, I didn't recognised the place. It was a small room, with a door opposite of me and two wooden chairs next to it. The room had no windows which gave it a claustrophobic atmosphere. The only light came from two lights build in the ceiling. The thing that shocked me the most were the bars, I was behind bars. Big metal ones.

I realised where I was: locked up, and everything came flooding back to me. The bed, Grank, Percy, the IV, the syringe, my escape and the searing pain in my lower back.

"I…. I was... almost there" I whispered.

My eyesight got fuzzy and I realised tears were welling up. I quickly whipped them away and tried to sit up. But my whole body hurt.

I looked at my arms and saw that bruises were covering them, I even saw some cuts. They must have come from bumping into everything when I was trying to escaping, maybe I even hit some windows or something… it all was so fuzzy.

The cuts were tended too, so I didn't worry about them too much.I inspected the bruises and noted that they already had a yellowish tint, so I've been out for about a week.

I looked at my wrists, where the handcuffs had hold me, but I saw nothing. I turned my hands around but there was no indication of being tied down. There was no irritation, when before I saw my skin had broken. There weren't even scars.

"That's weird… I can't have been more than a week… That shouldn't be possible…"

Maybe there was something in the IV that had supplied me, that can cure extra fast or something. You'd think the bruises would heal too, even though they were after the IV.

I looked at my legs, at the places where I was tied to the bed, maybe there were some clues there.

Anger flood through me. I was tied down again! Iron holds with chains attached to them where bound to my ankles. I followed the chains and saw that they were set in places by iron holders in the wall. I grabbed the chains and yanked them, with of course no result.

But that didn't matter, I was so angry. So angry! With life, with the people who locked me up, with Grank, with Percy with myself!

I was out, I was fucking out! But then something hit me and….

I reached with my hand to my lower back and touched the spot, I felt soft tissue, like bandage. I applied a little more pressure but regretted it immediately; I felt a shock of pain and arch my back.

The pain was a burning sensation and I bit my lip to prevent me from screaming.

When the pain died down a bit I twisted my upper body and turned my head to try to take a look.

I probably looked funny, as a dog trying see his own tail.

But unfortunately there was no tail to be spotted, I couldn't turn my head far enough to see the wound exactly, I just saw vague something white and red.

I slightly touched the spot again, but pain sheered and I quickly pulled my hand back.

"Di Immortales! - And what was that? Why do I keep saying this random stuff? And why do people around me keep saying that weird stuff?!"

I pulled my knees in and wrapped my arms around them, making myself as small as possible, feeling confused, miserable and alone.

I saw that I was wearing something different again, probably because I peed in the other pants: I wore soft brown paints that where lose around my legs but tight around my waist and ankles. Above that I wore a t-shirt of the same colour. This one had no funny text on it, just a logo. A circle around the letters YCI, the same logo was stitched on my pants. It made me kind of sad to see that, the jokes were kind of making this whole situation bearable, just a little bit.

The back of the t-shirt was cut open a bit, so the wound could be treaded easily I guessed. But this also made it possible for the cold to creep up on me, which made me shudder occasionally. Thereby were my feet naked and the floor wasn't that warmer either.

I tried to not think, to just forget everything for a moment. And yeah… not that easy.

I thought about that woman, that voice. I've heard her before; she whispered to me when I tried to escape. And then in the dreams she had said my name, right? The name sounded familiar, but I'm not sure if it's mine. 'Annabeth Chase' I could just hear her whispering it in my ear.

I shuddered again, but I wasn't sure it was because of her voice or the cold.

But the voice, I don't know it didn't sound real, like in real-life real. I don't think I made it up or something, but I didn't sound as from this world either; it felt as personification of everything evil.

I closed my eyes and pressed my head against my knees.

I don't know okay….

My brain tries to come up with brilliant plans, as you might have noticed, and wasn't going to stop this time.

Even though I was exhausted, I thought of ways to escape.

Being behind bars was making my chances of escape very thin. I looked at the door, trying to get some clues. It was locked from the outside - surprise - and I saw a tiny peephole where someone could look through. The door was completely made of iron, like a door in a bunker. There was no way I could get that of its hinges.

I sighed; I saw no opportunity of escaping by myself. Maybe if I tricked someone, but then again they were wary of me now, seeing how I tried to escape before.

What was that thing Grank said before? 'This was a test?' What the hades was that supposed to mean? What was a test? Me figuring out that plan or something? Would escaping from this room also be a test? Probably not, as they had already decided I wasn't 'a mortal'. What that was supposed to mean.

"Ughh, I'm so done with this idiotic stuff!"

I suddenly heard a loud noise, like an explosion or something. The whole building shook and I was thrown towards the bars.

"Aah!"

A pain that started in my nose took hold of whole my face. I touched my nose and saw blood on my hands.

"You've got to be kidding me!"

I stood up, which was kind of painful with all the bruises, and took hold of the bar.

"Hey!? What's going on?"

I sounded pretty funny because I was holding my nose shut, to prevent the bleeding, while I was shouting this. I sounded just like you would expect: as a nagging person.

"What's happening?!"

The alarm went off and started screaming in my ears.

Above the sirens I heard someone wrestling with the lock and a man in a black uniform opened it. He looked rushed and shocked.

As soon as he'd appeared he disappeared again, not saying a word, but he left the door open.

"You come back here! Who are you? WHAT'S GOING ON?!"

More sirens started going off. I heard yelling and people stumbling. The sounds came from the right.

"GET HER!" A woman's voice screamed, and as chickens other voices copied her.

I walked to the left of the cage, as far as my bonds would let me and cocked my head. Trying to see the hall better.

Suddenly a person rushed passed the opening. I saw long dark brown hair, soft brown clothes and naked feet.

While she ran passed my room she looked in and I saw in her blue eyes pure panic and wildness. Like a deer running away from hunters.

I remembered her, I've seen her before but where? I tried to say something but she was already gone.

More people ran pas my room. This must be another section of the building because they were all clothed in black uniforms like that other guy.

For another couple of seconds I just heard people yelling and running.

Then there was a muffled sound of a blow, and then a really, really loud scream. It sounded like fear, panic, and extreme pain.

It filled up my room and echoed through it. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and a dreaded feeling came over me.

The screaming stopped and I heard another loud thud.

Everything was dead silent for a moment. Only the alarm bells were still ringing but that sound seemed to come from miles away.

The room turned darker and colder.

I just kept standing there.

After some time the alarms stopped ringing and they carried her back past my room.

She was half dragged over the floor and half carried, the same way I was.

Her head was dropped low and messy hair covered part of her face. On her chin was a deep cut out which blood came gushing. Her eyes where half open and tears streaked her cheek.

Her arm was bend in an unnatural way and had all kinds of little cuts on it, but they looked older than the one on her chin, some on her arms were already healing.

Then everything went on as if nothing had happened.

My door was once again closed and locked, I got my food and drinks, and the lights in my room were turned off.

I crept in the dark into a corner where I found a pillow and a blanket.

I fell asleep with one thought in my head:

What was going to happen to me.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 - I learn my schedule.

I had no dreams this time, but that didn't mean my sleep was peaceful, if anything I was more tired when I woke up.

I rubbed my eyes and turned around on the hard, cold floor. I only had a flat, old pillow and a teared blanket. I couldn't believe I was saying this, but I missed that old bed.

I turned again and heard my bones crack against the stone floor. I hadn't eating in days I figured. Yesterday they brought me food, but I don't know if they fed me when I was passed out. I mean, you can pretty much count my bones, but I'm not hungry or anything.

I opened my eyes, I wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep anyway.

I was facing the wall opposite of the bars. The lights in my room were on, so I could see the wall in front of me.

Some weird lines where carved in it, probably made by moving stuff around in here.

Something weird occurred to me: The lines weren't horizontal, they were vertical. I sat up straight, trying to get a better look. There were more lines than I initially thought.

I started to trace them, figuring out what could've made them.

Then my brain started working. I backed away, scared by my own mind.

Scratches. They were scratches, made by finger nails.

"What is wrong with this place!? I don't want to be here!"

I screamed against the door.

"Let me out!"

I started shaking the bars that kept me locked up.

"LET ME OUT!"

I turned around and kicked the pillow and blanket. More scratches were covering the floor, as if someone had been dragged away and tried to grab on.

I picked up my sleeping gear, if you could call it that, and moved it to another corner, a corner with no scratches.

The days went on, and I can't remember them very well. I think I went in some kind of shock, after everything that happened.

I slept, woke up, got my meals 2 times a day, went to the disgusting toilet-thing in my prison and went to sleep again.

I tried to count the days I was in here. But it was useless, day's flood over into each other, and before I knew it, I'd lost count.

Every day I woke up by myself and someone would open the iron door and shove a food tray under the bars. The person bringing it in never talked to me and it was always the same person.

But one day I woke up by the creaking sound of the door. At first I thought it was the man bringing me my food and that I slept in, if you could call it that, but I didn't recognise this person.

I sat up straight.

"Morning."

I didn't respond.

"Okay, well I'm Steve,"

Steve wasn't wearing a black uniform that everyone was wearing, just regular clothes, I mean…. I think?

He wore blue jeans and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was dark brown and he had a sharp face.

"I'm gonna explain how things are gonna work out here,"

I looked at him though the bars, and I now already disliked him.

"and how you are going to fit in it."

"What do you mean? Fit in what?"

"I'll get to that, in just a minute."

"Get to that now."

He looked at me funny, like he didn't expect that brutality. Which was fair. I wouldn't expect that brutality form someone behind bars.

"Well…

He started after a few seconds.

"You're one of those people who aren't normal, you're special."

I looked at him sceptical.

"Yeah…. sure, and there is a very good reason you locked me up."

"Yes there is."

"Then what is it?"

"You're very dangerous. You can hurt people, overthrow governments, start riots and even start wars. This was initially the reason we started hunting you, capturing you and eliminating you.

But you were resort full, and found ways to hide and protect yourself. By then we also found out that you were _useful_ , in different ways."

He sat down on one of the wooden chairs.

"We could use you for our own benefit. You see,"

He leant forward.

"We don't have to kill you, if we can use you for good."

"But you are not using us for good?" I asked

He smiled and leant back again. In his eyes I saw a little twinkling of proudness. Then he grew serious.

"No, you are being used for good. We are helping the world."

If I hadn't seen that little twinkling in his eyes I might have believed him. He looked like he's given this speech multiple times, and new exactly how to make it convincing.

"But for that to work you need to help us. In exchange you get something from us, which can variate based on your actions."

He looked at my pillow and blanket.

"I see your sleeping gear has seen its best days, maybe you would like a new one? Let's see if

you can earn it."

Men in black uniforms came in and removed the iron holders around my ankles. Instead my hands were bound behind my back with cuffs and a sack was placed over my head. Hands grabbed me and we left my cold prison.

"Sorry about the treatment,"

He said while I struggled against the tight grip of the guards.

"but we don't want a repeat of last time. And I promise you, if you behave nicely, after sometime we can walk side by side just like friends"

I thought about that I would rather walk ten times like this, bound and blinded, then walk one time as a 'friend' next to him, when we stopped. I heard a door opening and I was pushed inside.

Someone removed my cuffs and the sack and I slowly opened my eyes. '

I was in a big, grey room, with a grey table and chair in the middle of it.

I heard a door close behind me and I turned around.

"Hey! Open it!" I said while slamming the door.

"Don't worry! It'll just be for a little while. The better you listen, the earlier you're allowed to go back to your room."

I heard Steve say.

Room?! You mean fucking prison!

"I'm fucking done with listing! Listen to me for a change!" I started ramming the door with my shoulder.

"Annabeth, you need to calm down. Or this is not going to work."

"Can't you see that I'm done? Can't you see that I don't want to do this?" I screamed against the speakers, where I found out Steve's voice came from.

"Don't scream."

"I scream when I want to scream!"

I was trying to push the lines, trying to see how far I could go. How Steve would react, and what he was capable of. I knew that what I was doing wasn't going to help me, as he said, if I listened I would be done faster. But I needed to know what kind of person Steve was.

"What are you going to do, huh? I'm already locked up!"

"Don't push me, Annabeth."

"Let me out!" I kicked against the door.

A searing pain went through me, it originated from the same spot where I was hit before, my lower back. My body went rigged, and I fell to the ground, kicking and all. I grabbed the spot as I screamed out in pain. After what seemed like hours of me screaming and kicking, the pain stopped as quickly as it started.

I lay still for a couple of minutes, afraid of moving, taking shallow breaths. The stone floor felt wet, and I realised I was sweating.

"Okay, now you're calmed down, how about we talk for a while?" I heard Steve say.

I ignored him. My whole body hurt and my brain was trying to fight its way out of my head. My world was spinning.

My lips were pressed against the cold floor and I saw condensation form while I was breathing.

"We need to talk, or this isn't going to work."

I closed my eyes trying to get my bearings.

"Annabeth?"

"I'm here" I heard myself say. My voice sounded broken.

"Good, now let's talk. First sit up straight."

I didn't move.

"Annabeth, now"

With a lot of pain, swearing and sweating, I was able to sit up straight against the wall. I let my head fall back and I closed my eyes, trying to get my screaming body to calm down.

"Good. Now, you should know, I don't like to do that to you, just like I don't like doing it to other subjects. But if you push me, I will. The more shocks you receive the more painfully and the more damaging for your body it will be. And we need you strong and without pain. So, behave."

I wanted to strangle him so bad right now, he'd done this to other people, to people like me, to children! How can this be approved by the government?!

"We're planning on rehabilitate you -as you already know- what will take place in various places. This is one of them, here you will learn about us, and what we do. You'll also be tested and questioned, to make sure you understand us right.

In other rooms or surroundings you'll be trained physically, which will vary on a day to day basis. You'll be trained alone or in groups, with other subjects, depending on the training and the goal. You'll learn to think and anticipate in different situations, how to react to dangerous behaviour and how to work alone and in groups. And, as I said before, you'll be rewarded or punished based on your behaviour, actions and choices. This is just a small summarise about our program, but with time you'll learn more and understand more.

These people were crazy.

"For now, we take it easy. I'm just going to be asking questions, about what you remember. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. Let's start, first question: Do you remember your name?"

"You've called me by my name multiple times today."

I heard him laughing through the speakers.

"Yes I did. It's a beautiful name, but do you remember it?"

"Annabeth."

"Good,"

I heard him say something like 'write that down' to someone next to him. It was too soft to been directed at his microphone.

"Do you remember your last name?"

I remembered it. It was Chase, Annabeth Chase. But I didn't felt right to tell him my last name. They never approached me with my last name. By that, and the way he asked it, I had a feeling I wasn't supposed to know it.

I set up my thinking face and replied.

"No, I don't know my last name."

"No problem, nobody knows there last name. Its better this way, it will keep you focused on your goal. Okay next question: do you remember what day it is?"

"No I don't"

"Do you know how long you've been in here?"

"I guess about two weeks?"

"You've been in here for exactly 4 weeks and 4 days."

What? That long? But I can't remember that!

"It's okay to be shocked,"

He said as if reading my mind.

"Most people can't remember the time they spent in here. You've been out for a week

and a half when we first brought you here, then after the accident another week. Besides

that, time goes fast in here. You quickly forget the days."

"What day is it today?"

"Today is the…"

I heard some papers ruffling.

"26th of August, 2015"

"So I came in here on the 25 of July?"

It was quiet for a moment.

"Yes… that seems to be right."

I stayed quiet, I had surprised myself by calculating that so quickly.

"Next question,-"

This went on and on until my head exploded. He asked about my shoe size, my eye colour, the last time I'd seen a cat, the last time I'd seen a dog. He asked if I knew what colour grass was, and how many hours a day has.

The questions seemed weird, but Steve told me it was to figure out how much I remembered and knew. To figure out from where to start, and how to train me properly. The questions seemed harmless, so I answered them correctly, until he asked me if I could remember ever being in a relationship.

My first instinct was to go with 'no', because I _couldn't_ remember. But then I started thinking:

Percy, I knew him well, without actually knowing him. We must have had a past together I recognised his smile, smell and behaviour. But it was all so vague, as from a dream. We could have been together? But maybe it was just platonic, on the other hand…..

"I don't think so"

"You don't think so?"

"No, I can't remember."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 – A reunion

After answering all those questions I was allowed to leave. And with that I mean, that I was bound and blinded and dragged back to my prison, what they liked to call 'my room'.

"Could you at least remove the sack? It's getting hard to breathe in here."

"Sir?" I heard the guy on my right ask.

"Well, I don't know Annabeth. The last time, you tried to run away, and _then_ you were drugged. I don't like it when people run away."

I don't beg. So I didn't respond.

"Then again, you've behaved decent. And if you try to make a move..."

We stopped walking and the sacks was removed. In front of me stood Steve, I had to look up because he was pretty much a head taller that me.

"We'll hurt you like we did before."

In his hand he had a small black box, with ten different sizes buttons on it, in all kinds of colours.

It sickened me to know how much control he had over me. He could make me feel pain I've never experienced before just to get me to do something. All with just a press of a button.

I had the urge to spit in his face: I was not his dog. But I was able to supress it.

Steve removed himself from my sight and we started walking again. The guards held me even tighter, afraid that I would try to run. It made me smile to scare them in such a way. But it also made my arms ache. Not that I would admit that to them, let them think that it doesn't hurt me: makes me seem stronger.

The walk back seemed longer. I looked around me and saw doors. Doors, doors and doors. Some had peepholes in them, just like my prison door has, so I figured there were people locked behind those. _Children_ locked behind those. Other doors were normal wooden doors, where behind probably nothing special happened.

I tried to take it all in, to memorise every step and turn. To create a map in my head, so this place would make more sense and I would know every corner of it.

When I was blinded and brought to that room, I had tried to count my steps. But being practically dragged across the floor hadn't made it easy. Now I was able to walk, and I counted my steps, making a map in my head.

We turned the third corner, when I saw another party. There were five guards. Two of them dragged a guy with black hair.

I didn't think much of it: I was tired, had a headache and my whole body was complaining. But when we came closer I could see the guy better and I recognised him…

"Percy?..." I whispered to myself.

"What did you say?" Steve asked confused.

I was sure now, his black hair, his face, his… his lips.

"Percy!" I called out.

Why were his eyes closed?! What happened?!

Both companies stopped and looked at each other confused.

"Percy!"

The guards tightened their grip on me.

He still didn't respond.

"Quiet!" Steve said.

"Wake up! What did they do to you!?" My voice broke.

One of the Percy's guards focused his attention on Steve.

"Steve, get your girl under control!"

"Mind your own business!"

"Steve, if you can't control her, you shouldn't have this job."

"Shut your face, Thomas! I'm working on it! She is just… She has a quick temper."

While they argued one of the guards started to shake Percy.

"Stop that! Don't touch him!"

Percy's eyes fluttered open and he looked around him, still dazed.

His eyes fell upon me and I couldn't help but smile. They were green, just like I remember, just like before. Way back…. When we met, before this all. I'm sure now: we have a history together.

"What?..." Percy stuttered.

"What's happening!? He is supposed to be out for like an hour more! How much did you give him?" another guard yelled to his partner.

"Enough! I gave him enough." His partner yelled back.

"Percy. Percy, what happened?" I said to him. I kept my voice down, I didn't want anyone else to hear us. I felt that it needed to be private.

"I.. I don't know…"

It felt so good to hear him again. His voice was crooked, he talked slow and with some stuttering. But gods, did it felt good.

"Listen to me," I whispered while the guards were still arguing.

"This place is bad. These people are mental, and what they did to some of the prisoners..." I shuddered thinking back on the girl that ran, the scratches on the wall and my own experiences with torture.

"We need to get out, we need a plan."

"Annabeth?... I had… I had a dream about you?"

"What did you have?"

"STOP talking!"

"Don't talk to me like that Steve! You watch your mouth, I'm your superior " Thomas said.

"I wasn't talking to you! But to- WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

In all the chaos -and one of my guards arguing- I had been able to wiggle free of his grip unnoticed. I was now being hold by just one guard and I extended my free arm to Percy's face.

I needed to touch him, I needed to feel him. Just a hand or finger would have been enough. I just needed to feel his warmth to feel that he was alive. And to show him I was too.

"What are you waiting for?! Zap her!" I heard Thomas say form far away.

"Don't command me!" Steve said.

I could almost reach him, I was so close. Percy's eyes lit up. He knew what I wanted to do. How I he did it in his state, I don't know, but he started to fight against his captors.

I was being pulled back at the same time. Everything seemed to move in slow motion.

"Guard! Let her go now! Or you'll get electrocuted!" Steve screamed.

Suddenly I was free. It felt like a big boulder had removed itself from my path, the road was clear now, and Percy was standing at the end of it. I only had to run to him.

Then everything repeated itself. I wasn't in control of my body anymore, I fell to the ground and closed my eyes while I screamed my longs out.

The pain was ever worse than the last time. It radiated through my body like a virus, with no end in sight.

I vaguely heard voices: The guards, Steve and Thomas were all arguing, but… above that all was Percy's voice yelling in absolute rage. His voice filled my ears, and I felt guilty. I felt guilty of _causing_ himthis pain.

His yelling continued, but it was too far away to make out the words. Other people started yelling. But everything was so soft compared to my own raging scream.

Then my world went black.

I woke up again in my prison. I felt the cold floor through my clothes and heard the ticking sound of the toilet. I kept my eyes closed, hoping to fall asleep again. Into the dark, forgetful and peaceful place.

But the pain kept me awake. It was still there, radiating through my body. Reminding me that my body was broken and a burden.

My throat felt sore, burned up inside.

I had a terrible headache that centred in between my eyes.

Emotionally? Not that better either; I was exhausted.

Everything that had happened was carved into my memory, and demanded attention.

Percy….He looked so hurt, so wounded. Exactly how I felt. Had they done the same to him as they did to me? Had they tortured him?!

The thought made me so angry. I don't know why. It felt so unfair, he is… he is so innocent, so vulnerable. But he doesn't deserve that!

I won't forget this so easily.

What had he said, he had a dream about me? That seems important. I mean, I had a dream about him too. Well it was about much more, but he… he was there.

Maybe he had the same dream, that would mean we're both or really fucked up, or something else is going on here….

This is too much to think about right now, I can't. What I need to focus on is finding a way to talk to Percy, to get us out.

This thought gave me energy. It was a new goal:

I opened my eyes. I expected to be blinded by the light but the world around me was dark. It's nice to be in the dark.

I carefully moved my arms, but it felt like they were lead weights, and moving them hurts like hades.

The same story goes for my legs and neck. Those electrocutions were already wearing me out. No surprise there, I've had them two times in a day.

Fricking morons…

I carefully sat up straight, focusing on not screaming out in pain. I leaned against the wall had let my head fall back.

I was shaking all over form the effort and I was soaked in sweat.

I can't keep this up, I realised. This is too much.

I started to panic and a lump formed in my throat.

"… I might die here…"

My voice sounded hallow against the walls as it echoed through them.

Hitting me again and again with my own realisation.

I never thought about it. I thought… I was sure I was going to live, that I was going to escape. But if this is how my life will look like, I don't know if I can keep it up.

I let the tears drop. It felt so good to cry, to let go of the act of being brave, of having my emotions under control, of having to _survive_.

Cause at the end of the day. When all lights are dimmed, and the world is asleep… I'm just alone.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 – revalidating

Once I had myself propped up against a wall, I cried myself to sleep. Yeah I know, that sounds dramatic, but this is my life.

I can't remember what I dreamed but at some point I woke up. I was sliding down sideways and I woke up from the feeling of falling. I tried to catch myself with my arms but my muscles were still too weak.

My arms couldn't hold me and bended sideways, letting my face bump to the ground.

"ughh" I grunted.

I just lay still with half of my face pressed against the cold floor. I could feel something wet spreading around my face. I probably bit my lip during the fall.

My legs were still in sitting position and my hands rested under me on the ground with my elbows propped up. Yeah, real comfortable.

Just the effort of trying to catch myself made me go limp. I tried one more time to move: I got my hands from under me and turned on my side, so my back was now against the wall.

I tried to keep conscious, but I blacked out.

Something was really wrong with me.

They found me like that the next morning still laying in that awkward position.

Steve came in first, probably wanting to have a 'talk' about my behavior yesterday. He was shadowed by a guy and a girl around my age wearing the black uniform.

Steve stood still in the middle of the room. I looked at him through my half closed eyelids.

"Do you realise what you've done?"

He started.

"I won't forget this easy."

I didn't respond.

"Do you hear what I'm saying?"

He sounds different now then when we met Thomas the other day. He sounded scared then, afraid to get on Thomas bad side. Now he sounded like he could burst out in flames any second.

That thought made me laugh inside and a smile crept on my face.

"Why are you laughing?! You think this is funny?"

He turned to his colleges.

"Pick her up, we'll have a full session with her."

"But Sir, she already had many shocks and that's-" The girl started.

"DON'T YOU DARE TALK BACK TO ME!" Steve screamed to her.

The girls face turned red and she and the boy quickly opened my cage. I didn't move, I was afraid for pain and another back out. They opened the lock around my leg, dragged me out and stopped in front of Steve

He looked at me with a confused look. If I could, I would have stood up straight and looked him in the eye. But I couldn't, and he noticed it too.

"What's wrong with you?"

"She's really cold sir" The boy said.

"Did I ask you something?!"

Steve didn't say anything for a while. Then he lifted my head and looked me in the eyes. I was so tired I couldn't open my eyes all the way.

Steve let me go and turned around, he got something out of his pocket and after some seconds I heard him talking softly.

"We have a case 66b here….. Well yeah, I think so…. Yes... Yes… It could be just a

Breakdown, we've had them before…. I don't know, she seems out of it…. Yeah, I'll bring

her."

Steve turned and faced his guards.

"Okay, change of plans. We'll bring her to the hospital wing."

"But sir, they told us to bring her-"

"I know what they told us! I was there!" Steve screamed to the girl.

"So get your asses up and bring her to the hospital wing!"

We quickly left the room.

I don't remember much from the trip, I think I passed out on the way over there. But I remember them dragging me into a big room, then through some glass doors and laying me on a small bed.

I heard Steve talk some more, about me having to be tied down.

"We don't know yet what she is capable of yet. She already pulled some tricks, who knows what she'll come up with next."

"I don't care, I've told you before: I don't want patients tied down: it slows down the healing process." An unfamiliar voice responded.

"Give her a shot of Ambrosia, and lock her down."

After that everything became fuzzy again and I was pulled back into sweet dreams of nothingness.

I felt a sting in my arm and I opened my eyes. I was blinded by bright lights so I squinted and turned towards the pain.

I saw a shadow stand over me doing something with my arm.

"What… are… you doing?" I asked.

"Nothing, just relax. You'll be okay."

I tried to move my arm but it was tied down in place. A cold feeling came over me.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" I yelled.

I knew this man, I knew him. And he had me again!

"Let me go! Let me GO! Grank! Get off me!"

"It's okay, just relax. I'm not Grank"

He was lying.

"Fuck of Grank! GO away!"

I tried to move but I couldn't, every part of me was tied down.

Panic started to rise even more when realization hit me: 'I'm back, I'm back, I'm back'

The memories came flooding back and I started sweating all over my body. I fought against the chains.

"I'm back! No! No! Don't fucking touch me!"

My whole inside started to boil. I knew this would happen, I knew they would bring me back, to Grank, to that place, to that bed.

This was bound to happen, I had pushed too far.

"She won't calm down!" The shadow yelled.

"Can you blame her? She's tied down for Gods sake!" another person yelled back.

"Just help me with her!"

The next couple of days were just revalidation.

They'd told me the shocks had done a great deal on my body. So much that they had caused a kind of temporally paralysis. Which was why sitting up straight took so much effort; my body was in a state of shock.

I heard later that when they brought me in the hospital they'd immediately started with medication, Ambrosia to be precisely. The medication had woken me up and after that I went completely insane, screaming about Grank, and that 'He had to let me go'. They gave me a shot for sleeping and I didn't wake up for a couple of hours.

My doctor also told me that I kept talking in my sleep about 'a guy named Percy', but he said he didn't told anyone. Which made me kind of grateful, I don't expect Steve being happy about that.

Steve did visit, more often when I got better. He didn't talk to me or anything, he just looked at my chart and asked the doctor how long till I could continue my training.

My doctor would answer and Steve would disagree. Then they started arguing which always ended with my doctor scolding Steve for what he did to me, and Steve storming out of the door.

I stayed for about a week in the hospital wing. I was in a tiny glass room with walls made of glass. All around me I saw more of these kind of rooms with people in them, in, just like me, a high iron bed. Doctors and nurses were buzzing through the rooms like bees. Talking to patients or treating them, which occasionally, caused screaming going on for hours.

I could see that some patients were free, and by that I mean, they weren't tied down: they were still locked up in there glass room, being watched and examined as the days went on.

Some patients on the other hand were, just like, me tied down. There were screamers between them, fighting there bonds day and night trying to get out. I would be one of them, but I still was too weak and I knew that that wasn't going to help.

So I just lay still there, doing nothing, waiting.

With the days I was more abled to do stuff, they slowly got me back to standing up straight and after a couple of days I was even able to walk alone again.

I was allowed to eat by myself, but was still on an IV for my medication. Which still gave me a taste of apples once in a while.

I talked with my doctor most of the time, his name was Dr. Ronals. But that was all I got from him. We tried talking about me, but that conversation soon ended due to lack of information. So he talked about this place and what it stands for.

I have a feeling he truly believes that this place is a good thing, that it is helping the world.

I didn't feel like correcting him, so I let him talk.

When we weren't talking I thought about Percy. Which was strange, because normally I would be focusing on getting out, or thinking up a trick. But Percy kept popping up in my head. It was embarrassing, not just because he was removing any other thought, but also because I wasn't thinking about Percy in a normal way. I was thinking about Percy in a more… closer way.

I tried to think back about our shared history. Because I'm definitely sure we have one: we have a deep connection. Okay that sounds cheesy, but I mean: he knew my name before I did. And I recognized his smell, and eyes… and lips… and-

Okay, so, let's stop there.

What I'm trying to say is that he was on my mind.


End file.
